Page 231 of Bona Fide

But it’s true. He was married, kept it a secret, then he catfished me—kept that a secret too.

And now I’m here again, maybe as a moron, but here nonetheless.

“Emmy—” Wade snaps his fingers. “—out.” The wheels of her chair roll back and a hand brushes along my lower back moments later in silent comfort.

“Be nice, Lockwood,” she warns, before leaving me alone with the livid animal in front of me. “Watch your words.”

He doesn’t respond, eyes still locked on me, and when the door softly closes behind him, he makes his move—which I quickly counter back.

“What part of what I said the other night made no sense to you, Reagan?”

Ow, he’s really mad. He called me by my real name.

“All of it,” I deadpan.

His brows knit together. “English a hard language for you now?”

“Just shit English that comes off dumb as hell.” He looms closer to me, forcing my chin to rise to meet his face.

“I don’t want you here.”

“But I am.”

“You know that ass I enjoyed so much the other night?” he quips, letting his eyes graze down to my breasts. “It’s going to hit the cement outside when I have security throw you out, sweetheart.”

“Hate to sound like a bitch, Lockwood, but unless you give me what I want, I’ll go find it elsewhere.”

His mouth sets in a fine line. “That’s exactly what I want you to do.”

“You’d give me up that easily?”

“I never said this was going to be simple for me. In fact, you’re making it very hard for me right now.” Inching closer, our chests meet, but Wade stands solid to his spot before I gaze up at him.

“How much do you love me, Yank?” His jaw ticks not once but twice as he tears his scrutiny from me.

“Enough to let you go.”

“Not good en—”

“Reagan.” My name viciously off his lips stops me mid-sentence, still watching something behind me. “Stop doing this to yourself. You forget who I am—” He glances back down at me. “—I’m the most powerful man in the country. I’ll make shit really hard for you if you keep pressing this.”

I quirk a brow. “Is that a promise?”

“It’s a threat.”

“Back to the asshole I fell for.” I wedge my lips from lifting. “You’re not helping yourself here, Lockwood.”

“I always help myself. You out of the way is helping.” He takes a step away from me, and immediately, I miss his heat. “See yourself out.”

“Wade.” He halts, back still to me, but I see the shattered exhale that just rocked his body. “I love you. Please...don’t do this to us.”

“I am doing it for you and us, Shelton. As much as I would love a world with you in it, you’re a liability, something I can’t afford to lose. I can’t buy you back to life if something happens. I can’t watch millions of people to make sure one doesn't hurt you to get to me. I’m a man with a spotlight always shining on me. You’re the woman I can’t keep.”

“It’s not fair,” I emit. “You making all these calls and expecting—”

“I don’t expect you to wait around, Sox. I’m actually praying that you don’t.” He pivots around to face me. “Please don’t.”

Heartbreak illuminates off his features, and I know mine match. Fate is cruel and vicious. I found someone that I wanted to throw caution to the wind for, and he’s too high up the food chain to keep.

---